Four-time NBA champion Horace Grant has seen basketball greatness from the inside — as a teammate, a rival, and a champion across multiple eras. That perspective, he says, is exactly why the ongoing debate over the NBA’s greatest player of all time has become misguided.
In an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports, Grant pushed back strongly against constant comparisons between his former Chicago Bulls teammate Michael Jordan and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
“Two different players, two different eras,” Grant said. “You can always go back to Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] being called a GOAT in his era. You can go back to Oscar Robertson or Bill Russell being the GOAT in their era. I think the comparison is so outrageous because it’s two different eras. That’s it, man.”
LeBron James’ Longevity Is Redefining Greatness
Grant’s comments come as James continues to defy time in his 21st NBA season. Approaching his 41st birthday, James has found his rhythm after missing the first 14 games of the season with a sciatic nerve issue.
Over his last five games, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has averaged 27.6 points on 54 percent shooting, along with 7.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists, reaffirming his ability to dominate despite being the league’s oldest active player.
“How can LeBron, at his age, still be playing at a high level like that?” Grant said. “When I was 41, I could barely walk.”
James recently poured in a season-high 36 points in the Lakers’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, a game in which Luka Dončić exited early with a lower leg injury while Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton were sidelined.
Through 11 games this season, James is averaging 20.2 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds, production that underscores his sustained excellence well into his fourth decade.
Jordan vs. LeBron: Different Eras, Different Standards
Grant does not dismiss Jordan’s historic résumé, which includes more championships, MVPs, and Finals MVPs than James. Instead, he argues that greatness should be contextualized — not weaponized.
In Jordan’s final NBA season at age 39 with the Washington Wizards, he averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals, earning his 14th All-Star selection despite the Wizards missing the playoffs.
James, meanwhile, has set records Jordan never had the opportunity to chase, largely due to longevity: all-time scoring leader, most All-Star and All-NBA selections, most consecutive games with double-digit points (867), and the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 or more points.
“They shouldn’t cancel each other out,” Grant said. “They should be celebrated for what they did in their time.”
From Championship Pedigree to Cultural Storyteller
As debates about legacy continue to dominate basketball culture, Grant is carving out a new chapter of his own. The former Bulls and Lakers champion is transitioning from the court to the camera with Legends in Session with Horace Grant, an upcoming television series set to film and premiere in Chicago — the city where he became a cornerstone of the Bulls’ first three-peat dynasty.
The 13-episode inaugural season is structured to unfold like an NBA game, complete with a pregame, tipoff, four quarters, halftime, and postgame reflection. Each episode offers candid, behind-the-scenes conversations with iconic figures in sports and culture.
Grant said the show’s defining element is authenticity — giving fans access they rarely see.
“They get to truly know my Hall of Fame guests,” Grant said. “They hear stories that have never been told before. The questions my executive producer and I ask aren’t the ones they’re used to hearing. It’s a laid-back atmosphere — transparent, authentic, and real.”
Honoring Legends While Giving Back
Getty15 Dec 2000: Horace Grant of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with a teammate during the game against the Vancouver Grizzlies at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.
Each episode culminates in a Hall of Legends induction, where Grant formally honors his guest not just for career achievements, but for their broader impact and influence. The series is also rooted in philanthropy, with guests signing memorabilia on camera to benefit charitable causes.
Grant’s guest list includes friends, rivals, and former teammates such as Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton, Penny Hardaway, Robert Horry, Charles Oakley, and others.
The series is executive produced by Wally Lockard III of Urban Grind TV and will film this winter at Urban Grind Studios. It is scheduled for a mid-2026 release across cable, streaming, and international platforms, including Roku and Apple TV.
A Legacy Beyond Debate
Grant’s career — which included championships with the Bulls and a title with the Lakers in 2001 alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal — spans eras often pitted against each other in endless arguments.
From his vantage point, those debates miss the point.
Greatness, Grant believes, is not about ranking legends against one another — it’s about honoring what each generation built, and passing it forward.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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